Anatomy of Respiratory system
05/28/2025 1
Objectives
At the end of this session you are expected to
List organs of respiratory system
Locate anatomical location of each respiratory organs.
Differentiate the right lung from the left lung
Understand blood supply of organs of respiration
05/28/2025 2
Introduction
The term respiration refers to three separate but related func-
tions:
Ventilation (breathing)
Gas exchange between the lungs and blood
Gas exchange between the blood and tissues .
05/28/2025 3
Contd….
The exchange of gases b/n the air and blood is called external res-
piration.
Gas exchange between the blood and tissues is known as internal
respiration.
It is estimated that a relaxed adult breathes about 9 to 20 times a
minute.
Ventilating about 5 to 6 liters of air during this period.
05/28/2025 4
Classification of respiratory system
Its parts can be classified according to either structure or function.
Structurally
1. The upper respiratory system includes the nose, nasal cavity,
pharynx, and associated structures
2. The lower respiratory system includes the larynx, trachea, bronchi
and lungs.
05/28/2025 5
Basic structure of the respiratory system
Organs of respiratory system
Nasal cavity
Pharynx
Larynx
Trachea
Bronchi
Alveoli within the lungs
05/28/2025 6
05/28/2025 7
The nose
The nose is a specialized organ at the entrance of the respiratory
system.
Consists of a visible external portion and an internal portion in-
side the skull called the nasal cavity.
05/28/2025 8
The nose
Nasal septum - divides the nasal
cavity into two lateral halves
Made up of
Perpendicular plate of
ethmoid bone
Vomer
Septal cartilage
05/28/2025 9
The nose
Each nasal fossa opens anteriorly
through the nostril and communi-
cates posteriorly with the na-
sopharynx
05/28/2025 10
05/28/2025 11
Functions of the nasal cavity:
Warm, moisten, and cleanse the inspired air.
Nasal hairs filter macro particles that might otherwise be inhaled.
Olfactory epithelium concerned with Sense of smell.
The nasal cavity is associated with voice phonetics by acting as a res-
onating chamber.
05/28/2025 12
Pharynx
The pharynx is a funnel-shaped
tube about 13 cm (5 in.) long.
Starts at the internal nares and ex-
tends to the most inferior cartilage
of the larynx (voice box)
The pharynx lies just posterior to
the nasal and oral cavities.
05/28/2025 13
Pharynx
Relaxed skeletal muscles help keep
the pharynx patent.
Contraction of the skeletal muscles
assists in deglutition (swallowing).
The pharynx functions as a passage-
way for air and food.
Provides a resonating chamber for
speech sounds, and houses the tonsils
05/28/2025 14
Pharynx
Pharynx is posterior continuation
of the nasal cavities.
Has 3 parts
1. Nasopharynx
2. Oropharynx
3. Laryngeo pharynx.
05/28/2025 15
Nasopharynx
The most superior part.
Directly continuous with the nasal cav-
ities.
Lies posterior to the nasal cavity and
extends to the soft palate.
The nasopharynx receives air from the
nasal cavity
05/28/2025 16
05/28/2025 17
Nasopharynx
The nasopharynx exchanges
small amounts of air with the
auditory tubes.
Equalize air pressure be-
tween the middle ear and the
atmosphere
05/28/2025 18
The larynx( voice box)
Forms the entrance into the lower
respiratory system.
It connects the laryngopharynx
with the trachea.
It lies in the midline of the neck an-
terior to the esophagus
It is an organ responsible for voice
production.
05/28/2025 19
Trachea
The trachea ( wind pipe) is a rigid
tube connecting the larynx to the
primary bronchi.
It is about 12cm long and 2.5cm in
diameter.
It is found anterior to the esophagus
as it extends into the thoracic cavity.
It is divides into a right & left pri-
mary bronchus at level of sternal
angle
05/28/2025 20
05/28/2025 21
Bronchi
Trachea divides into a right and
left main (primary) bronchus.
Which goes into the right and the
left lungs.
05/28/2025 22
Bronchi
On entering the lungs, the main bronchi divide to form
smaller bronchi.
It is called lobar (secondary) bronchi.
One for each lobe of the lung.
The right lung has three lobes; the left lung has two.
The lobar bronchi continue to branch.
Form still smaller bronchi, called segmental (tertiary)
bronchi
05/28/2025 23
Bronchial tree
Divides in to
Primary bronchus
Secondary bronchus
Tertiary bronchus
05/28/2025 24
Bronchial Tree
The primary bronchi enter the hilum
of each lung together with the pul-
monary vessels, lymphatic vessels,
and nerves.
Each primary bronchus then
branches into several secondary
bronchi ( lobar bronchi).
The left lung has two secondary
bronchi since it has two lobes.
The right lung has three lobes and
three secondary bronchi.
05/28/2025 25
They further divide into tertiary
bronchi.
The right lung has10 tertiary
bronchi, and the left lung has 8 ter-
tiary bronchi.
05/28/2025 26
Right primary bronchus is
shorter, wider, and more ver-
tically oriented than the left
primary bronchus.
Foreign particles are more
likely to lodge in the right
primary bronchus.
05/28/2025 27
05/28/2025 28
05/28/2025 29
Bronchioles
Small airways less than 1 mm in di-
ameter
Secrete surfactant, a phospholipid
that alters the surface tension of the
fluid layer covering the cell surface.
05/28/2025 30
Terminal bronchioles
Less than 0.5 mm in diameter.
They are the smallest of the
"purely conducting" passages of
the respiratory tree.
Each terminal bronchiole di-
vides into short branches called
"respiratory bronchioles"
05/28/2025 31
Bronchial Tree
Primary (main) Bronchi
Bifurcation of trachea
Right is wider, vertical,
shorter
Secondary (lobar) Bronchi
Divisions of each primary
bronchi
Right lung has 3, Left has 2
Tertiary (segmental) Bronchi
Up to 8 -10 in each lung
05/28/2025 32
Bronchial Vasculature
The bronchial arteries The bronchial veins
A single right bronchial artery. Drain into the azygos vein on the
right.
Two left bronchial arteries
Hemiazygos vein on the left.
05/28/2025 33
The pleural Cavity and mediastinum
Thoracic cavity is divided into 3 divi-
sions
Two pleural cavities: occupy lateral
part and contain the lungs
The mediastinum: the space be-
tween lungs and pleurae
05/28/2025 34
The Pleurae
Double layered serous membrane cov-
ering the lung
1. Parietal pleura (outer) - adherent to
body wall
2. Visceral pleura (inner) - attached with
lung and its fissures
The two layers are continuous
around hilum
A potential space between the two
layers is called pleural cavity
05/28/2025 35
Pleural cavity
A small space found between the
visceral and parietal pleurae .
Contains a small amount of lubricat-
ing fluid .
This pleural fluid reduces friction be-
tween the membranes, allowing them
to slide easily over one another dur-
ing breathing
05/28/2025 36
Lungs
The lungs has light weight.
Are paired cone shaped organs in the thoracic cavity.
The lungs almost fill the thorax
The apex of the lungs lies superior to the medial third of the clavi-
cles.
05/28/2025 37
The Lungs
External anatomy
It Has
An apex
A base
Three borders: anterior, posterior
and inferior
Three
surfaces :costal ,diaphragmatic
and medial
05/28/2025 38
Lungs:
05/28/2025 39
The left lung
Has a superior and inferior lobe di-
vided by an oblique fissure
Large cardiac notch found on the
mediastinal surface
The lingula - an anterior projection
of the superior lobe below cardiac
notch overlies the anterior aspect of
the heart
05/28/2025 40
The Right lung
Has a superior , middle and infe-
rior lobe divided by an oblique and
horizontal fissure.
Short & broad when compared
with left lung.
05/28/2025 41
05/28/2025 42
05/28/2025 43
Differences between right and left lung
Right lung Left lung
Size Larger and heavier Small and lighter
(700gm) (600gm)
Length and width Shorter & broader Longer and narrower
Anterior border Straight Cardiac notch &
lingula
Lobes and fissures Three lobes & two Two lobes & one
fissures fissure
Arterial supply One bronchial Two bronchial
artery arteries
05/28/2025 44
Lobes & Surface of the Lungs
05/28/2025 45
Blood Supply to the Lungs
The lungs receive blood via two sets of arteries:
Pulmonary arteries and bronchial arteries.
Blood drains into bronchial veins.
05/28/2025 46
Thank you
05/28/2025 47
